The Denver Cereal
Page 24
She looked away from him. Without warning, Sandy fell to her knees. Her mind and body were overwhelmed with agony. She moved so fast that she pulled Aden down on top of her. Aden wrapped himself around her crumpled form. He rocked her back and forth while she cried.
“Please go,” Sandy whispered between sobs.
“No,” Aden said. “I won’t leave you like this. I won’t do it.”
“Please.”
“No. Don’t ask again.”
She dared to look into his face. In the torrent of tears, her makeup had smeared down her cheeks. The pain in her eyes was almost unbearable to Aden.
“Why did you say that? About me?”
“I’ve loved you for a long time, Sandy. It’s why I didn’t ask you out sooner. I felt too strongly about you.”
“How can you say that? You don’t know me at all and . . .”
“Shh . . .” He wrapped her in his arms until her tears slowed. “Let’s just get through this. What would help?”
“Baking,” they said together.
“Why don’t you make some cookies?” Aden kissed her cheeks.
Sandy nodded.
“I need to clean up,” she said. “What about your kids?”
“They love Delphie and the Castle. We’ve stayed in one of the apartments before. I’m sure we can stay there again.” Aden scratched his head. “I canceled their camp for next week because I thought they’d be with Nuala. We’d probably end up staying at the Castle anyway so I can work and take care of them.”
Sandy nodded.
“I’ll call while you clean up.”
He helped her to her feet and walked with her to the bathroom. He turned on the shower and helped her step in. Under the warm water, Sandy cried her heart out.
~~~~~~~~
After stuffing Jill full of pancakes, eggs, bacon, and sausage, Mike took her to an ATM. He gave her three hundred dollars from his account and another three hundred dollars from Valerie’s account. He would have taken the maximum from their joint account as well, but Jill was freaked out about six hundred dollars. They yelled back and forth at each other with all the heat and intensity of close siblings.
Finally, Jill said very simply, “Thank you. I really need this money.”
And Mike laughed.
Mike knew Jill was excited to see Jacob again, so he let her out at his artist’s studio. He was parking the car at the workshop when he received a call from Jacob.
Without giving it another thought, Mike drove to Denver Health. Wearing a sling and a neck brace, Jacob waited for him just inside the doors. Mike ran to the passenger door to help Jacob into the Bronco.
“Pissed off?” Mike asked.
“Very,” Jacob said. “Sorry to bug you for a ride.”
“Not a problem,” Mike said. “Everyone thought you were waking up at four.”
“What am I supposed to do? Wait around until I evolve?” Jacob bristled at his interaction with the Nasty Nurse. “And who the fuck is everyone?”
They drove in silence down Speer Boulevard to Fourteenth Street. They stopped at the traffic light at Logan.
“Guess that’s Jill’s soul mate,” Jacob said. He pointed down Logan to the bride and groom coming out of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception on Colfax. “God, Jill must be devastated.”
“She didn’t say anything.” Mike shrugged.
“What’s she going to say?” Jacob hit the dashboard and groaned. “Fuck.”
“Careful, lover boy,” Mike said. “You don’t want to go back to the hospital.”
“Where are you going?” Jacob asked when Mike drove past Race Street.
“Workshop? The Mayor hasn’t figured a way to get rid of the paparazzi,” Mike said.
Jacob frowned at Mike. He had no idea what Mike was talking about but was too angry to find out. Mike pulled into the workshop. He helped Jacob out of the Bronco.
“Did you get your prescriptions?”
“Ah fuck!” Jacob exclaimed. “I have to get those filled.”
“I can get them if you . . .”
“I haven’t used my drug insurance. I have to go. Fuck!”
“Come on. You probably need condoms anyway.”
“What?”
Mike laughed.
~~~~~~~~
Ever since Jacob said he would be Katy’s daddy, Katy had insisted on taking her nap in his big armchair. For the last few days, Jill had dragged the armchair near the door of the bathroom. Katy slept like a stone in Jacob’s chair while Jill took a bath in his huge bathtub.
Jill was excited to see Jacob today.
She washed her hair and then let it air dry while she soaked in the tub. Even though she knew Jacob probably was too sick for real intimacy, she carefully shaved her legs. She tried to relax but her heart raced with the idea of Jacob coming home.
Frustrated at her own impatience, she remembered that Jacob had told her that she could use his iPod. Maybe some music would help her settle down. Jill wandered around the apartment until she found the tiny music player.
Flopping naked onto the bed, she tried to figure out how the player worked. Pressing play all, she stuck the earbuds in her ears.
Jacob liked the same music she liked!
Maybe it wasn’t so crazy to be engaged to a guy she didn’t know.
She smiled.
~~~~~~~~
“I think Katy’s napping,” Mike said.
They worked their way through the tunnels.
“Okay.”
Mike opened the door to the kitchen.
“You’re really acting strange,” Mike said.
“Sorry, man, I just need to be home. Catch you later?” Jacob asked.
“Sure.”
Jacob made his way up the back stairwell to his apartment. He noticed the warm pumpkin color on the walls. He’d always dreamed that Jill would decorate his living space the way she had fixed up that hole she lived in. Looking at the walls, he sighed.
Like he ever had a chance with Jill. Mike must have had some time on his hands.
Fuck. Why can a cretin like Trevor get, and keep, a girl as amazing as Jill?
At least he was finally home. Shaking his head at his own temper, he flipped open his apartment door. Another night wondering what the fuck was wrong with him.
He noticed the soft yellow walls first. Then the little girl curled up in his favorite armchair. He blinked.
That’s Katy.
Taking a step into the room, he saw her.
Jill.
Her feet swung back and forth. Her round behind rose off the bed like a brilliant half moon. He heard his blood pump in his ears. He wasn’t sure why she hadn’t noticed him.
And he didn’t care why she was there.
In two swift steps, he moved across the floor. He had to touch her. He had to make sure she was real and not just some dumb fantasy.
Standing just behind her feet, he watched her behind rise and lower with her swinging feet. He stretched his right hand and stroked the side of her foot.
Jill rolled over with his touch. She pulled the iPod earbuds from her ears. With the smile on her face, his memory returned. She jumped up from the bed to hold him.
“I thought you were a dream,” he said.
She tilted her head and smiled at him. “Let me get dressed.”
“Please don’t.”
“You need to lie down,” she said.
“Would you mind helping me?”
Jill helped him out of his clothing. He refused a T-shirt or underwear. She helped him into bed and slipped in next to him. Lying on her side, her hand stroked his chest.
“Seems like you have something on your mind,” she said.
“Since the moment I saw your beautiful behind on my bed,” he said. “I just don’t think I can . . .”
“I asked the doctor. He said it wouldn’t hurt you.”
Her hand stroked his thighs.
“This has to be a dream.”
Reaching, sh
e grabbed a condom from the bedside table drawer. She slipped on top of him.
“Where did those come from?” he asked.
“I was hoping . . .” She slipped the condom on him.
“Now I know this is a dream.”
“What would convince you?” she asked.
She wrapped herself around him. Very gently, very slowly, they built in intensity. Their lips were locked when Jill began to release against him. Unable to resist her pull, he followed in a solid burst. Jill rolled to the bed.
“Convinced?”
“I’ve died and gone to heaven.”
~~~~~~~~
“Aden,” Sandy said. “Before we go . . .”
Standing in the entryway of her apartment, Aden turned to look at her. She held up a plate of warm chocolate chip cookies.
“Do you think these cookies are enough?” Sandy asked.
“Val said they ordered dinner. It’s just a little family dinner to welcome Jacob home. Did you pack some overnight things?”
Sandy nodded. Aden took the cookies from her so she could put on her jacket and get her purse. She took the plate of cookies back from him. He unlocked the door and started to open it.
“Aden?”
“Yes, honey.”
“Thank you for staying with me. I . . . I’m sorry . . . for everything.”
Aden took the cookies from her and set them on the entry table. He slipped his arms around her. His eyes scanned her face.
“I won’t say it again until you’re ready to hear it. But you need to know that what I said was true for me.”
“But . . .” Sandy started.
“And, I am sorry I frightened you.”
Sandy nodded. She kissed his lips and hugged him. He moved back to the door.
“Aden?”
He turned to look at her.
“I love you too.”
He beamed at her.
“Don’t say anything, okay?” Sandy moved passed him. His hand stroked her behind as she passed. She turned to look at him. “Please?”
He nodded and followed her down the stairs to the waiting taxi.
~~~~~~~~
Monday morning, 3 a.m.
“Jill,” Jacob whispered.
“Yes Jacob.”
Jill rolled onto her side. She kissed his face.
“Where’s Katy?”
“She’s asleep in her crib, remember? Mike brought it from the apartment,” Jill said. “Why?”
“I think I need some convincing.”
Jill giggled.
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